Atlanta theatre legend Robert J. Farley died unexpectedly Thursday night, according to a report at ArtsATL. Farley, 69, was co-founder of the Georgia Ensemble Theatre and former artistic director of the Alliance Theatre. Just last month, he and his wife Anita accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Suzi Bass Awards.

Mayor Kasim Reed has announced the formation of a Mayor’s Medical Advisory Committee to address public health concerns in the City of Atlanta. The committee will provide guidance to the Office of the Mayor and the Atlanta City Council on key health issues that may impact the city and its employees including HIV and AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, the committee will also work with partnering agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), State of Georgia Health Department and Fulton County Health Department to provide healthcare information to Atlanta residents. The committee will include community-based physicians and healthcare providers. The announcement was made on Dec. 1, which is the annual observance of World AIDS Day.

The historic Buckhead mansion known as the Pink Palace (Courtesy Google)

A historic Buckhead mansion designed by a prominent Atlanta architect faces partial demolition. The house, known locally as the Pink Palace, was designed by Philip Trammell Shutze, the designer of the Atlanta History Center’s Swan House and other prominent local buildings. The owner of the mansion plans to subdivide the lot into three lots and demolish part of the home, according to permit applications filed with the city of Atlanta. A consultant, Dianne Barfield, applied for a permit on behalf of the owner, which is listed as Palazza Rosa LLC, to subdivide the lot Nov. 21, and in October received a permit to demolish a portion of the home, according to city documents. The 1929 mansion, also known as the Rhodes House, is located at 541 West Paces Ferry Road near the Governor’s Mansion. NPU-A will review the plan to subdivide the lot at its monthly meeting on Dec. 5. The plan will then go before the Subdivision Review Committee on Dec. 20. The permit to demolish a portion of the home was issued Oct. 12, according to city documents. Read more at Reporter Newspapers.